Crossing the finish line

NORWALK — He was loved and respected in the racing world. On Tuesday morning, Bill Bader Sr. crossed the finish line as he was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. The longtime racetrack owner and promoter died on June 26 in an off-road accident near his home in Idaho, as the finale of the 15th annual NHRA Summit Racing Nationals was held at the famed Norwalk track that Bader Sr. built. Following a funeral service Tuesday morning at St. Paul Catholic Church, a celebration of life tribute was held at Summit Motorsports Park — the track he and his family built into one of the most popular dragstrips in the U.S. from a field — at Ohio 18 and 601. Now considered one of the finest drag racing facilities in the world, it was only fitting his friends, family and fans got one last chance to honor him on a beautiful, hot summer afternoon — just the way racers like it. Bader Sr. purchased an inoperable dragstrip named Norwalk Dragway in April of 1974 at the age of 31. He slowly transformed the track — later named Norwalk Raceway — into the gem it is today. He was the creator of the wildly popular "Night Under Fire" exhibition event, held yearly in August. The annual sold out event will see its 44th edition this season. A longtime International Hot Rod Association track, Bader Sr. stepped out of his role and handed the reigns off to Bill Jr. in January of 1998. Bill Sr. moved on to the ownership and management of the IHRA in 1999. He later retired to Idaho in 2005, but often came to visit the dragstrip for big-time events. That included the NHRA Summit Nationals, which began at the Norwalk track in 2007. The transformation of Summit Motorsports Park from its infancy to landing a marquee, national event was often cited as a seminal moment for Bader Sr. and his family. Following Tuesday's tribute, Bader Sr. was buried in a private service at Woodlawn Cemetery. Bader Sr. was also honored in uptown Norwalk on Tuesday. The race flags normally reserved for the NHRA Summit Nationals each year — were flying along Main Street as Bader Sr. got the checkered flag one final time.